Ratchet screw driver



July 31, 1923. I

H. D CHAPMAN RATCHET SCREW DRIVER Filed Dec. 21 1921 I I 1 m Patented July 31, 1923.

UNITED STATES HOWAEJD D. CHAPMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

. RA'ICHET SCREW DRIVER.

Application filed December 21, 1921. Serial No. 523,975.

T 0 all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, HOWARD D. CHAPMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ratchet Screw Drivers, of'which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in ratchet screw drivers and has particular reference to an improved form of ratchet screw driver'equipped with an enlarged power applying member whereby the blade may be rotated in clockwlse and counter-clockwise directions without a great deal of manual effort.

Heretofore in using screw drivers it has been necessary to apply a longitudinal pressure from the handle end of the driver, at the same time apply a rotary movement to the handle of the screw driver. In applying the longitudinal pressure and giving a rotary movement to the handle it has been found in lots of instances extremely difficult, and, to overcome this diiiiculty I have provided an improved ratchet screw driver.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a ratchet screw driver capable of being turned in clock or counterclockwise direction by providing the screw driver with an intermediate rotating handle member. By virtue of this rotating member, the shank of the driver may be placed in the nick of a screw andlongitudinal pressure kept on the shank by applying pressure at the outer handle member, and to turn the shank it is only necessary to rotate the intermediate member, which imparts rotation to the shank by virtue of a ratchet mechanism. It will be seen that the principle of a three-part handle is to have a lower stationary part and an upper stationary part secured to the shank, a central rotating part, a ratchet connection between the lower stationary part and the central rotating part; thus it follows, it is only necessary when using the driver to rotate the same, apply a rotary motion to the intermediate member,

which motion is transmitted to the shank through the lower stationary member, the upper stationary member being used as a shank holding handle.

The primary object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an improved means whereby the blade of the screw driver may be readily and more eifectively rotated in clockwise or counter-clockwise direct-ions,

reference said means being so constructed as to render it necessary to only slightly mo y t P es-f I cut type of screw driver. It is desirable that the screwdriver be equipped with the usual blade, having one end constructed to nicely fit the nick in the head of a screw, a pair of spaced stationary handle members secured-to the blade, and an enlarged blade operating member located between the two stationary members. The

three, namely, the two stationary"mer ilbe i f" ratchet member, which consequently transmits the rotary movement of the intermediate member to the blade.

A further object of the invention is, the

provision of a means whereby the ratchet member may be reversed so that the turning movement of the blade in either direction may be accomplished. With the above general objects in view and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangementiof partshereinafter more fully described,shown in "the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing wherein like characters of s indicate 7 corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the screw driver partly in section and showin the same complete and as made in accordance with my invention, v

Figure 2 is a transversesectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure .1, and lookm in the direction indicated by the arrows, igure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows," Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, "and arrows, and, r

Figure 5 is a detail perspective viewof the ratchet operating member. Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 indicates an annular shank or blade loommonly used in screw drivers, and thisbl'ade looking in the direction indicated by the to provide'a screw nick engaging point 5, I

this also" being the usual construction of screw driver blades or shanks. The op posite end of the shank 5, has secured thereto the handle which serves to rotate the blade in clockwise or counter-clockwise directions, the construction of which handle will be hereinafter more fully described.

The handle above referred to consists in its construction three parts, the lower ferrule member 7, an enlarged power applying member 8, and the upper holding member The lower ferrule member 7 and the upper holding member 9 are rigidly securedto the shank or blade 5 by a suit able fastening means 10, such as a pi-nor rivet extending transversally through the members 7 and 9, andv the shank 5. The intermediate power applying member 8. is freely rotatable about the shank 5 and between the opposing faces of the members '7 and 9, respectively, the purpose for which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Thismember 8 .has provided in one of its, ends an annular recess 11, which is adapted to receive or have-fitted therein, a ratchet member The ratchet member 12 issecured in this recess 11, by suitable reamin means 13., suchas nails, screws, or the like, the heads of which are counter sunk so, asto avoid contact betweenthe heads of the fastening means 13 and the opposing face, ofthe ferrule member 7 when the power applying member 8 is rotated thereon.

To cooperate with I the power applying member8, Iiform in the ferrule member 7, a recess 14 which communicates with the recess 1110f, the. intermediate member 8., and

also, extends through the ferrule: member 7 to the outer-side thereof. Positioned within the recesslt of thedferrule member 7, is a ratchet engagingdog 15, which. is pro- .vided at one end with an inclined ratchet wheel engaging face;16, while its opposite end terminates into a reduced circular shank. 17. The reduced 'circularshank 17,

of-the dog15, is surrounded by a suitable coil spring 18, which is also located lu the recess 14 of the ferrule member-7. T he reduced shank 17, has its terminal extending out through and-beyond a transverse recess 19, formed in 'the'member 7. A handle or operating member 20, is secured to the terminal of the shank l7. and lies between the wallsof the recess 19 of the member 7, and

when in. this position the working face 16 of the dog 15 s engaged between the walls of one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 12, thus permitting the driver blade 5 to be rotated in one direction by virtue of the fact that motion, is transmitted from the power applying member 8, through the ratchet wheel dog 15, ferrule member 7, to the blade 5. It is, of course, understood that by virtue of the inclined working face 16 of the dog 15, that counter clockwise rotation of the intermediate member 8 may be had, due to the fact that the inclined face 16 will freely ratchet over the walls of the teeth in the ratchet wheel 12.

The screw driver as shown in Figures 1 andQ, can be turned in a clockwise direction and the member 8 rotated or ratchetcd in a counter-clockwise direction, and to reverse this movement of the blade 5 and the member 8, it is only necessary to grasp the handle member 20, apply a downward pressure thereon, which withdraws the dog 15 against the spring 18, and out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 12,permitting the handle member 520 to be turned in the transverse slot 19, consequently causing a reversing of the working face 16, which permits ofthe reverse mo tion of the blade 5 and member 8 in the manner previously described. i

It is understood that the blade 5 can be substituted for a socket and tools of various kinds placed therein. It is also being understood, however, that onlytools desiring a revolving movement could be used.

In practice, it is only necessary when using this screw driver to apply the point 6 of the blade 5 in the nick of a screw head, grasp the power applying member 8 inthe right hand, holding the member 9 in the left hand, and by applying a rotary motion to the power applying member 8, which in turn will transmit motion to the blade 5 through the ratchet mechanism, it is only necessary to ratchet the member 8 in a reverse direction to continue turning the blade 5 in a clockwise direction.

It will be clearly understood that a screW driver made in accordance with this invention allows for greater leverage and increased driving force, due to the fact that a may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as \Vhat is claimed is: i 1. A ratchet screw driver of the class de-' scribed, comprising a blade having a sectional handle secured to one end thereof, said handle including three (3) parts, spaced claimed.

upper and lower sections rigidly secured to the blade, an intermediate power applying section freely rotatable on the blade, said intermediate section having a recess formed in its lower end, a ratchet wheel secured in said recess, said lower rigid section provided with a recess communicating with the first named recess, an operating dog mounted in the recess of the lower section, a spring surrounding said dog to normally urge it into engagement with the ratchet wheel of the power applying section, whereby upon applying rotary motion to said section it will be conveited to the blade, and a ratchet dog operating means secured to the lower end of the ratchet dog and located exteriorly of the lower section, whereby the rotary motion of the blade may be governed.

2. A screw driver of the class described including a shank having a sectional handle at one end, said handle including spaced upper and lower sections rigidly secured to intermediate section whereby said shank may be rotated by operating the power applying intermediate section.

In testimony whereof he hereunto affixes his signature.

HOWARD D. CHAPMAN. 

